Barrientos and Telis on 13 issues facing Spokane

	Alejandro Barrientos	Kate Telis
In 2021, as vacancies plummeted and rent soared, Spokane declared a “housing emergency.” Vacancies have returned to healthier levels and development has accelerated, but rent has still climbed roughly $200 in the same period for a one-bedroom apartment. What should the city do to improve housing affordability?	{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} Spokane declared a housing emergency because working families were being priced out. While rental vacancies have improved, the lack of home ownership and affordability remains a serious challenge. Our region has specifically underbuilt homeownership housing. To address these problems, we must dramatically update Spokane’s Comprehensive Plan and related regulations to promote a dramatic increase in housing supply, from starter homes to affordable rentals. That means aggressively streamlining permitting, fast-tracking infill development, including “missing-middle” housing, and leverage city-owned land wisely so Spokane families can once again find housing that fits their needs and budget.	{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} Rent in Spokane continues to rise faster than wages, even as vacancies have returned to healthier levels. To address this, the city must expand housing supply through smart infill near transit rather than costly sprawl, while also protecting renters with strong notice requirements and limits on extreme rent hikes. At the same time, we should invest in affordable housing by leveraging state and federal resources and building strong local partnerships. Above all, growth must be thoughtful and shaped in collaboration with neighborhoods, so that new development strengthens both affordability and livability.
In 2022, the City Council passed a law mandating that residents limit how often they water their lawns during drought conditions, but has never enforced this law. Do you support these restrictions; if so, should the city start enforcing them with fines, and if not, what role should the city have in water conservation?	{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} I support smart, science-based watering limits during drought. The city should prioritize education, incentives, and voluntary compliance first, and only use fines as a last resort. We have to start with a better understanding on healthy levels of water use by Spokane residents. With that understanding, we can adopt policies that both protect the interests of Spokane’s ratepayers and protect our beloved Spokane River and aquifer.	{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} Yes, I support restrictions during drought — water is too precious to waste, especially as parts of the Spokane River ran dry in August 2025. The city should lead with education and outreach, helping residents and businesses adopt water-efficient practices. At the same time, there must be accountability: the biggest water users should face fines if they disregard restrictions, while others should first receive warnings followed by fines if problems persist. This approach combines fairness with urgency, ensuring conservation is both widely understood and effectively enforced.
Do you support current plans to reconfigure Division Street, including by adding a protected bike lane and modifying a vehicle traffic lane to prioritize buses, following the completion of the North Spokane Corridor?	{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} Division Street is Spokane’s most heavily traveled arterial and it’s clear that this corridor is overdue for investment in appropriate landscaping as well as better pedestrian and bike facilities. I support a collaborative approach that includes public engagement with pilot projects. Before reducing lanes, we should have initiatives such as using temporary lane reductions or traffic barriers to test the impacts on traffic flow and safety before making permanent changes. We need to ensure that the solutions are practical and have community input/support.	{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} Yes. Division Street should be safer and more efficient for everyone – drivers, bus riders, cyclists, and pedestrians. Prioritizing buses and adding a protected bike lane will improve mobility, reduce congestion, and support economic vitality once the North Spokane Corridor is complete.
What is the most appropriate use for the city’s available funds from a sales tax devoted to affordable housing and homelessness issues, often called "1590 funds," as local organizations and elected leaders weigh affordable housing development, treatment services and emergency homeless shelters?	{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} 1590 funds should go where they make the biggest impact: transitional housing with wraparound services, and treatment options for addiction and mental health. Emergency shelters matter, but we must invest in long-term solutions that break the cycle of homelessness, not just manage it.	{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} The city’s top priority must be deeply affordable and supportive housing paired with treatment services. Shelters are necessary but temporary; lasting stability requires housing plus wraparound care. Housing, treatment, and shelter are interconnected – people need safe places to live, access to care, and immediate crisis options. Our investments must address all three, while also focusing on prevention so fewer people fall into homelessness. Done thoughtfully, this approach is both compassionate and fiscally responsible, breaking cycles of homelessness and creating long-term stability for Spokane’s future.
Do you support expanding the city’s use of red light and speeding cameras?	{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} I support using traffic cameras in high-crash areas and near schools as a public safety tool not as a revenue generator. If implemented transparently and paired with community engagement, they can reduce accidents and save lives. Oversight and clear signage are essential.	{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} I support using cameras in high-crash, high-risk areas. They can save lives by slowing traffic and free up police for other public safety needs, with oversight and clear data reporting to maintain public trust. This is part of my broader platform to increase public safety — which includes traffic safety as a critical component.
Do you support an expansion of involuntary treatment as a tool to address chronic homelessness and accompanying addiction or mental health issues?	{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} We need more tools and more capacity in our behavioral health system to intervene when people are suffering on the streets. That includes co-responder teams, and long-term care beds. I support a system where law enforcement offers individuals camping in public spaces real choices, whether that’s a high-barrier shelter, a low-barrier facility, or addiction and mental health treatment. When someone refuses all support and continues to pose a risk to themselves or others, I believe mandatory treatment or, when necessary, correctional placement should be a last resort.	{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} Involuntary treatment should remain a last resort. Our constitution prioritizes personal freedoms and restrains government from taking those away except in extreme cases where someone poses an imminent danger to themselves or others. What truly works is voluntary, accessible treatment and housing-first approaches. Expanding involuntary treatment without building more treatment beds and supportive services risks cycling people through institutions instead of helping them heal.
Would you support reinstating the 2023 anti-homeless camping law, which made it illegal for the homeless to camp within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, playgrounds or licensed daycare facilities, and which the state Supreme Court struck down this year?	{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} Yes! When 75% of voters approve something, you listen and you act. Spokane residents made it clear they want safe sidewalks, schools, and parks. So yes, I support reinstating the 2023 anti-camping law and honoring the will of the voters.	{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} No. As a former prosecutor who worked closely with law enforcement, I can say the policy lacked clarity and enforceability. It also failed to require connecting people to housing, addiction treatment, or mental health care before enforcement. Our approach should be engagement-first, offering real pathways to stability. The goal is a thriving downtown while ensuring vulnerable populations get the help they need. Any policy must also include a realistic compliance period, with evaluation, to determine what timeframe best incentivizes people to accept services.
Do you support the creation of a regional homeless authority? Do you believe there was sufficient reason for the city to pull back from talks to establish that organization?	{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} I strongly support creating a regional homelessness authority because homelessness doesn’t stop at city limits. Collaboration is the key, but our jurisdictions and the homelessness response system are not working together effectively. That is the whole point of a regional authority: to align efforts, pool resources, and create accountability across the system. If Spokane pulled back, the public deserves a clear explanation. I’d work to bring all partners back to the table, including the county, to build something that is transparent, effective, and truly collaborative, and get busy addressing homelessness.	{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} Yes, I support creating a regional authority. Homelessness crosses city borders, and collaboration is the only way forward. While I don’t know all the reasons the last effort failed, I will not give up on the concept. The challenges are bigger than one jurisdiction, and Spokane must work with county and regional partners to find real solutions. A coordinated regional approach is more fiscally responsible, avoids duplication of services, and makes better use of limited resources to address homelessness effectively.
Do you believe city leadership responded appropriately to the June 11 protests?	{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} Protests are a fundamental part of our democracy, and city leadership has a responsibility to protect both public safety and the right to free expression. While tensions have escalated during past demonstrations, I believe our city leaders and law enforcement have acted with the best intentions given the circumstances. There's always room to reflect, learn, and improve, but I recognize the effort to maintain order while respecting constitutional rights.	{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} No community wants to see unrest, but protests reflect real pain and frustration. The right to peacefully protest is constitutionally guaranteed and serves as a vital check for the people against government actions that are overreaching, illegal, or unconstitutional. City leadership should always respond with de-escalation, transparency, and active listening – not defensiveness. We need to learn from such moments to rebuild trust.
Do you support the Keep Washington Working Act, which prohibits law enforcement or other government officials from aiding federal immigration officers and appears to have led to the White House branding the state a “sanctuary jurisdiction,” potentially risking federal funding to the state and local jurisdictions?	{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} As the son of immigrants, I understand deeply why policies like the Keep Washington Working Act matter to so many families. I’ve always been clear on where I stand personally, but this is ultimately a state law, and it’s the role of the Legislature and attorney general to interpret and defend it. As a city councilmember, my focus would be on the issues Spokane can directly impact, public safety, housing, homelessness, and economic opportunity. My priority is to ensure Spokane remains a safe, welcoming city that complies with state law while protecting the resources we rely on. I understand there are concerns about potential funding risks, and I trust that our state leaders are working to find a responsible balance.	{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} Yes, I support it. Local law enforcement should not be commandeered into federal immigration enforcement. Spokane must build trust so all residents feel safe reporting crimes and engaging with their city. Protecting immigrant communities is both moral and practical, reducing harm to our workforce and economy. Spokane’s strength has always come from being welcoming and inclusive, and this law reflects that. I pledged an oath to the Constitution, and elected officials have a duty to fight against unconstitutional actions – especially those coming from our federal government.
Some of the plastics Spokane residents are asked to recycle are instead burned at the Waste-to-Energy Plant or pulverized and used for marginal reuse projects. Does the city do enough to recycle what goes in the blue bins? Should it invest in a more robust recycling system?	{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} Recycling is important, but we need to be honest about where it falls short. Right now, Spokane, like many cities, is limited in what plastics can actually be recycled. Some materials placed in blue bins end up being incinerated or downcycled into marginal use products because there simply aren't strong markets for them. The city should absolutely do more. That includes investing in a more robust and transparent recycling system, educating residents about what’s truly recyclable, and partnering with regional and private sector players to expand recycling capacity and technology.	{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} Spokane can do better. Too much of what residents put in blue bins is burned or downcycled. We need a more transparent system that ensures materials are truly reused, not just diverted. I support investing in stronger recycling partnerships, modernized facilities, and clearer public education so residents know their efforts are making a real difference.
The City Council has previously approved two moratoriums on new development in the Latah Valley, totaling 16 months. During that time, the city developed plans to improve long-neglected infrastructure and roadways in the area. The last moratorium expired in May. Do you believe the city has done enough in that time? How would you address the continued issues in the area?	{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} The moratorium in Latah Valley was meant to give the city time to address the transportation, and infrastructure challenges but they failed to do so. The city needs to develop a comprehensive infrastructure strategy that not only serves Latah Valley, but also addresses needs across all neighborhoods. Right now, we’re planning on a project-by-project basis, rather than taking a regional or neighborhood approach.	{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} The moratoriums gave the city time, but progress has been limited – residents still face inadequate roads, fire safety risks, and basic service gaps. We need to evaluate what has and hasn’t been accomplished during the moratorium period. Critical infrastructure needs remain unaddressed. Another moratorium may be justified until we have clear timelines and commitments in place to improve infrastructure and the safety of our neighbors. Growth must not outpace the infrastructure that makes neighborhoods livable and safe.
Public safety and housing affordability have been hot-button political issues in Spokane for years. Excluding these topics, what is an issue in your district that you will improve during your term?	{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} In District 2, many neighborhoods are dealing with unsafe streets, crumbling sidewalks, and stormwater issues. I’ll prioritize street calming, pedestrian safety, and equitable infrastructure investment especially in underrepresented neighborhoods, while also recognizing that good jobs and a healthy local economy are essential to every family in Spokane.	{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} In Latah Valley, Eagle Ridge, Grandview Thorpe, and West Hills, growth must follow infrastructure. These areas need adequate police, fire, schools, and city services before further development. Otherwise, sprawl will bankrupt the city. Thoughtful infill, tailored to each neighborhood, is the smarter way to meet Spokane’s housing needs. Relatedly, transportation remains a major need in my district—many neighborhoods still lack safe sidewalks, crosswalks, and bike routes, putting kids, seniors, and people with disabilities at risk. I’ll push for investments in walkability, traffic calming, and transit access to keep everyone safe and connected.

In 2021, as vacancies plummeted and rent soared, Spokane declared a “housing emergency.” Vacancies have returned to healthier levels and development has accelerated, but rent has still climbed roughly $200 in the same period for a one-bedroom apartment. What should the city do to improve housing affordability?

{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} Spokane declared a housing emergency because working families were being priced out. While rental vacancies have improved, the lack of home ownership and affordability remains a serious challenge. Our region has specifically underbuilt homeownership housing. To address these problems, we must dramatically update Spokane’s Comprehensive Plan and related regulations to promote a dramatic increase in housing supply, from starter homes to affordable rentals. That means aggressively streamlining permitting, fast-tracking infill development, including “missing-middle” housing, and leverage city-owned land wisely so Spokane families can once again find housing that fits their needs and budget.

{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} Rent in Spokane continues to rise faster than wages, even as vacancies have returned to healthier levels. To address this, the city must expand housing supply through smart infill near transit rather than costly sprawl, while also protecting renters with strong notice requirements and limits on extreme rent hikes. At the same time, we should invest in affordable housing by leveraging state and federal resources and building strong local partnerships. Above all, growth must be thoughtful and shaped in collaboration with neighborhoods, so that new development strengthens both affordability and livability.

In 2022, the City Council passed a law mandating that residents limit how often they water their lawns during drought conditions, but has never enforced this law. Do you support these restrictions; if so, should the city start enforcing them with fines, and if not, what role should the city have in water conservation?

{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} I support smart, science-based watering limits during drought. The city should prioritize education, incentives, and voluntary compliance first, and only use fines as a last resort. We have to start with a better understanding on healthy levels of water use by Spokane residents. With that understanding, we can adopt policies that both protect the interests of Spokane’s ratepayers and protect our beloved Spokane River and aquifer.

{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} Yes, I support restrictions during drought — water is too precious to waste, especially as parts of the Spokane River ran dry in August 2025. The city should lead with education and outreach, helping residents and businesses adopt water-efficient practices. At the same time, there must be accountability: the biggest water users should face fines if they disregard restrictions, while others should first receive warnings followed by fines if problems persist. This approach combines fairness with urgency, ensuring conservation is both widely understood and effectively enforced.

Do you support current plans to reconfigure Division Street, including by adding a protected bike lane and modifying a vehicle traffic lane to prioritize buses, following the completion of the North Spokane Corridor?

{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} Division Street is Spokane’s most heavily traveled arterial and it’s clear that this corridor is overdue for investment in appropriate landscaping as well as better pedestrian and bike facilities. I support a collaborative approach that includes public engagement with pilot projects. Before reducing lanes, we should have initiatives such as using temporary lane reductions or traffic barriers to test the impacts on traffic flow and safety before making permanent changes. We need to ensure that the solutions are practical and have community input/support.

{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} Yes. Division Street should be safer and more efficient for everyone – drivers, bus riders, cyclists, and pedestrians. Prioritizing buses and adding a protected bike lane will improve mobility, reduce congestion, and support economic vitality once the North Spokane Corridor is complete.

What is the most appropriate use for the city’s available funds from a sales tax devoted to affordable housing and homelessness issues, often called "1590 funds," as local organizations and elected leaders weigh affordable housing development, treatment services and emergency homeless shelters?

{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} 1590 funds should go where they make the biggest impact: transitional housing with wraparound services, and treatment options for addiction and mental health. Emergency shelters matter, but we must invest in long-term solutions that break the cycle of homelessness, not just manage it.

{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} The city’s top priority must be deeply affordable and supportive housing paired with treatment services. Shelters are necessary but temporary; lasting stability requires housing plus wraparound care. Housing, treatment, and shelter are interconnected – people need safe places to live, access to care, and immediate crisis options. Our investments must address all three, while also focusing on prevention so fewer people fall into homelessness. Done thoughtfully, this approach is both compassionate and fiscally responsible, breaking cycles of homelessness and creating long-term stability for Spokane’s future.

Do you support expanding the city’s use of red light and speeding cameras?

{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} I support using traffic cameras in high-crash areas and near schools as a public safety tool not as a revenue generator. If implemented transparently and paired with community engagement, they can reduce accidents and save lives. Oversight and clear signage are essential.

{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} I support using cameras in high-crash, high-risk areas. They can save lives by slowing traffic and free up police for other public safety needs, with oversight and clear data reporting to maintain public trust. This is part of my broader platform to increase public safety — which includes traffic safety as a critical component.

Do you support an expansion of involuntary treatment as a tool to address chronic homelessness and accompanying addiction or mental health issues?

{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} We need more tools and more capacity in our behavioral health system to intervene when people are suffering on the streets. That includes co-responder teams, and long-term care beds. I support a system where law enforcement offers individuals camping in public spaces real choices, whether that’s a high-barrier shelter, a low-barrier facility, or addiction and mental health treatment. When someone refuses all support and continues to pose a risk to themselves or others, I believe mandatory treatment or, when necessary, correctional placement should be a last resort.

{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} Involuntary treatment should remain a last resort. Our constitution prioritizes personal freedoms and restrains government from taking those away except in extreme cases where someone poses an imminent danger to themselves or others. What truly works is voluntary, accessible treatment and housing-first approaches. Expanding involuntary treatment without building more treatment beds and supportive services risks cycling people through institutions instead of helping them heal.

Would you support reinstating the 2023 anti-homeless camping law, which made it illegal for the homeless to camp within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, playgrounds or licensed daycare facilities, and which the state Supreme Court struck down this year?

{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} Yes! When 75% of voters approve something, you listen and you act. Spokane residents made it clear they want safe sidewalks, schools, and parks. So yes, I support reinstating the 2023 anti-camping law and honoring the will of the voters.

{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} No. As a former prosecutor who worked closely with law enforcement, I can say the policy lacked clarity and enforceability. It also failed to require connecting people to housing, addiction treatment, or mental health care before enforcement. Our approach should be engagement-first, offering real pathways to stability. The goal is a thriving downtown while ensuring vulnerable populations get the help they need. Any policy must also include a realistic compliance period, with evaluation, to determine what timeframe best incentivizes people to accept services.

Do you support the creation of a regional homeless authority? Do you believe there was sufficient reason for the city to pull back from talks to establish that organization?

{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} I strongly support creating a regional homelessness authority because homelessness doesn’t stop at city limits. Collaboration is the key, but our jurisdictions and the homelessness response system are not working together effectively. That is the whole point of a regional authority: to align efforts, pool resources, and create accountability across the system. If Spokane pulled back, the public deserves a clear explanation. I’d work to bring all partners back to the table, including the county, to build something that is transparent, effective, and truly collaborative, and get busy addressing homelessness.

{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} Yes, I support creating a regional authority. Homelessness crosses city borders, and collaboration is the only way forward. While I don’t know all the reasons the last effort failed, I will not give up on the concept. The challenges are bigger than one jurisdiction, and Spokane must work with county and regional partners to find real solutions. A coordinated regional approach is more fiscally responsible, avoids duplication of services, and makes better use of limited resources to address homelessness effectively.

Do you believe city leadership responded appropriately to the June 11 protests?

{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} Protests are a fundamental part of our democracy, and city leadership has a responsibility to protect both public safety and the right to free expression. While tensions have escalated during past demonstrations, I believe our city leaders and law enforcement have acted with the best intentions given the circumstances. There's always room to reflect, learn, and improve, but I recognize the effort to maintain order while respecting constitutional rights.

{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} No community wants to see unrest, but protests reflect real pain and frustration. The right to peacefully protest is constitutionally guaranteed and serves as a vital check for the people against government actions that are overreaching, illegal, or unconstitutional. City leadership should always respond with de-escalation, transparency, and active listening – not defensiveness. We need to learn from such moments to rebuild trust.

Do you support the Keep Washington Working Act, which prohibits law enforcement or other government officials from aiding federal immigration officers and appears to have led to the White House branding the state a “sanctuary jurisdiction,” potentially risking federal funding to the state and local jurisdictions?

{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} As the son of immigrants, I understand deeply why policies like the Keep Washington Working Act matter to so many families. I’ve always been clear on where I stand personally, but this is ultimately a state law, and it’s the role of the Legislature and attorney general to interpret and defend it. As a city councilmember, my focus would be on the issues Spokane can directly impact, public safety, housing, homelessness, and economic opportunity. My priority is to ensure Spokane remains a safe, welcoming city that complies with state law while protecting the resources we rely on. I understand there are concerns about potential funding risks, and I trust that our state leaders are working to find a responsible balance.

{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} Yes, I support it. Local law enforcement should not be commandeered into federal immigration enforcement. Spokane must build trust so all residents feel safe reporting crimes and engaging with their city. Protecting immigrant communities is both moral and practical, reducing harm to our workforce and economy. Spokane’s strength has always come from being welcoming and inclusive, and this law reflects that. I pledged an oath to the Constitution, and elected officials have a duty to fight against unconstitutional actions – especially those coming from our federal government.

Some of the plastics Spokane residents are asked to recycle are instead burned at the Waste-to-Energy Plant or pulverized and used for marginal reuse projects. Does the city do enough to recycle what goes in the blue bins? Should it invest in a more robust recycling system?

{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} Recycling is important, but we need to be honest about where it falls short. Right now, Spokane, like many cities, is limited in what plastics can actually be recycled. Some materials placed in blue bins end up being incinerated or downcycled into marginal use products because there simply aren't strong markets for them. The city should absolutely do more. That includes investing in a more robust and transparent recycling system, educating residents about what’s truly recyclable, and partnering with regional and private sector players to expand recycling capacity and technology.

{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} Spokane can do better. Too much of what residents put in blue bins is burned or downcycled. We need a more transparent system that ensures materials are truly reused, not just diverted. I support investing in stronger recycling partnerships, modernized facilities, and clearer public education so residents know their efforts are making a real difference.

The City Council has previously approved two moratoriums on new development in the Latah Valley, totaling 16 months. During that time, the city developed plans to improve long-neglected infrastructure and roadways in the area. The last moratorium expired in May. Do you believe the city has done enough in that time? How would you address the continued issues in the area?

{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} The moratorium in Latah Valley was meant to give the city time to address the transportation, and infrastructure challenges but they failed to do so. The city needs to develop a comprehensive infrastructure strategy that not only serves Latah Valley, but also addresses needs across all neighborhoods. Right now, we’re planning on a project-by-project basis, rather than taking a regional or neighborhood approach.

{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} The moratoriums gave the city time, but progress has been limited – residents still face inadequate roads, fire safety risks, and basic service gaps. We need to evaluate what has and hasn’t been accomplished during the moratorium period. Critical infrastructure needs remain unaddressed. Another moratorium may be justified until we have clear timelines and commitments in place to improve infrastructure and the safety of our neighbors. Growth must not outpace the infrastructure that makes neighborhoods livable and safe.

Public safety and housing affordability have been hot-button political issues in Spokane for years. Excluding these topics, what is an issue in your district that you will improve during your term?

{'id': 166, 'title': 'Alejandro Barrientos'} In District 2, many neighborhoods are dealing with unsafe streets, crumbling sidewalks, and stormwater issues. I’ll prioritize street calming, pedestrian safety, and equitable infrastructure investment especially in underrepresented neighborhoods, while also recognizing that good jobs and a healthy local economy are essential to every family in Spokane.

{'id': 167, 'title': 'Kate Telis'} In Latah Valley, Eagle Ridge, Grandview Thorpe, and West Hills, growth must follow infrastructure. These areas need adequate police, fire, schools, and city services before further development. Otherwise, sprawl will bankrupt the city. Thoughtful infill, tailored to each neighborhood, is the smarter way to meet Spokane’s housing needs. Relatedly, transportation remains a major need in my district—many neighborhoods still lack safe sidewalks, crosswalks, and bike routes, putting kids, seniors, and people with disabilities at risk. I’ll push for investments in walkability, traffic calming, and transit access to keep everyone safe and connected.